Barnyard Bath!

Ellie's favorite book is Barnyard Bath by Sandra Boynton (who is, without doubt, one of the best kids authors ever). It's a cute story about washing some barnyard animals but the best thing about it is that it's made out of lightweight plastic so it can come into the bath tub.

The book comes with a special washcloth, and so as you read about washing the duckies and the cow and scrubbing the piggie (you know how!), the bathing baby can participate in the story. After washing a silly chicken, the story culminates in a boldly colored "Now, Wash YOU!!!" at which point we go into baby scrubbing mode.

Initially, Ellie mainly liked to gnaw thoughtfully on her barnyard bath book and washcloth. But now, she really likes it when we read it to her. At the designated moment, the book comes out and, with great pomp and circumstance, we open it to the first page and theatrically begin to read -- "It's bath time! Is your washcloth nice and wet? Let's get going. Ready, set..."

Ellie's eyes light up, she kicks her legs, flails her arms and giggles with joy. She usually flings water everywhere in the process but it's a blast.